June 3, 2008

Gerry Bartlett Blogs on Write About Vampires? Who Me?

I never liked scary movies as a kid. My brother and I hid behind the sofa when the Wizard in the “Wizard of Oz” came on the TV. So how did I end up writing about things that go bump in the night? When I started out in this business, I wrote short contemporaries and sold two to Kensington. They had spunky heroines, alpha heroes and a suspense plot. Then, since I’d always loved the world of Georgette Heyer, I wrote and sold a Regency historical to Dorchester. Once again, spunky heroine, alpha hero and suspense plot. I thought I had this writing game figured out. But my career stalled. The Kensington line I wrote for folded. My editor at Dorchester left and the new one didn’t look at my next submission for over two years. In the meantime, historicals weren’t in great demand and my contemporary plots seemed same old, same old. I was getting discouraged to say the least.

Now I’ve had some luck along the way. And done a few smart things, purely by accident. First smart thing: I joined Romance Writers of America and went to a local chapter meeting. Second smart thing: When an author stood up and announced that she was forming a critique group and interested parties could meet on a Sunday afternoon and bring a few pages, I swallowed my fear and went. This second thing was huge. I hadn’t shown my stuff to anyone before. Well, except to my doting father who thought I was a genius but who had never read any fiction other than Louis L’Amour. This group started as a bunch of totally novice, unpublished writers. Most of them didn’t stick with it. Today, over fifteen years later, only three of the original writers are together. Maybe you’ll recognize the names: Nina Bangs, Kimberly Raye and me.

Here’s where Lady Luck stepped in. Okay, and some plain stubbornness. Because, believe me, Nina, Kim and I had to develop thick hides and shed tears to work our way through some pretty tough critiques to get where we are now. Kim has passed the forty-five book mark now and has a TV series starting on the ABCFamily Channel next fall for her Dead End Dating vampire series. Nina hit the New York Times list and is working on her twentieth book. So when either of these two ladies speak, Gerry listens, usually.

A few years ago, when I was in my slump, Nina began one of her nags. She’s really good at that. She’s made an excellent career by studying the market and deciding that paranormals were the next big thing. Didn’t hurt that she loves strong alpha heroes and vampires are the ultimate bad boys. So she started in on me. “Write a vampire book. I know it will sell.” I resisted. It’s what I do when people start telling me what I should do. I kept sending submissions to editors and agents. Different historicals, another contemporary proposal. Nothing. Zip.

Nina wouldn’t quit. “Vampires are sexy. Women love vampires. Vampire stories are hot right now.” She wouldn’t shut up and kept getting her own contracts for big bucks. Hey, I’m stubborn, but not stupid. Finally, I caved, but was determined to do it my way. I decided I wanted to try it first person. And make it contemporary. Funny. And set in Austin, because that’s where I went to college and there’s a saying—“Keep Austin weird.” It spoke to me. I wrote a first chapter. My critique group, that now included Donna Maloy, liked it but Kim thought it needed something else. She said, “Try making your vampire full figured. You know, like she was bloating on the day she was turned.” That’s when the light bulb went on for me. I wrote like the wind, turning out a proposal and synopsis faster than I thought possible.

Enter Lady Luck again. I belong to more than one Houston area RWA chapter and attended a workshop given by author Julie Kenner. She writes funny paranormals and spoke glowingly of her agent who accepted email submissions. Okay, this wouldn’t even cost me a stamp. I screwed up my courage and emailed what I had to that agent. A week later I had my first agent, a dream agent. The agent who quickly sold my vampire series to Berkley. And the Glory St. Clair series was born. Whew! One writing career resurrected. It wasn’t easy. It’s still not easy. I love writing this series. I get fan mail almost daily. Book 3, REAL VAMPIRES GET LUCKY, hits shelves today and I just finished writing book 4. REAL VAMPIRES DON’T DIET comes out next January.

Some people call what I write “light” paranormal. I don’t. There’s nothing light about what I do. It’s heavy lifting balancing humor, sensuality and suspense. And in a series you have a cast of characters that you have to keep track of from book to book. It’s the most fun I’ve ever had. My next project? I’m thinking of trying my hand at a vampire series set in Regency England. Humorous, of course. I’ll leave the dark stuff to those who are into the scary things that go bump in the night. Me? I’m in it for the laughs.

Gerry is giving away signed copies of the first two books in her series, REAL VAMPIRES HAVE CURVES and REAL VAMPIRES LIVE LARGE. To win autographed copies of the mass market editions along with a Barnes and Noble gift card for $20 so you can buy REAL VAMPIRES GET LUCKY, which hits shelves June 3 in trade paperback size, email Gerry at gerrybartlett@verizon.net. She’ll hold a drawing and pick the first lucky winner by June 5. A second chance winner will be picked on June 10. Put JauntyQuills Contest in the subject line to enter. One entry per person. Good luck!

May 19, 2008

Tera Lynn Childs Blogs on Adaptations

When I first decided to become a writer, it seemed logical that I would write what I loved to read: historical romance. The breathtaking tales of Johanna Lindsay, Suzanne Enoch, Sabrina Jeffries, Julia Quinn and especially Jane Austen inspired me and I wanted to write equally breathtaking stories. My foray into writing historicals was short-lived because, well, they’re hard. I switched to writing contemporaries where I didn’t have to think about voice or word choice or historical accuracy any more. (Hats off to the wonderful historical authors who make this seem so easy!) Anyway, eventually my quest for my voice’s niche led me to young adult fiction, but my heart was still in historicals. So is it any wonder that my first attempt at writing YA was a modern adaptation of a Regency classic? Here’s some of what I wrote:

Everyone knows a homecoming king needs a queen. No one really cares whether he wants one or not, the whole school is so certain of this that some people are already claiming his royal title.

Not the most brilliantly penned lines in literary history, but a fun modernization of the opening lines of Pride and Prejudice, no?

Since my roots in writing are in historical romance, I thought I’d play around with a few more of my favorites, rewriting choice bits in my own voice from a contemporary teen point of view. Here goes…

Daphne ignored her three brothers, who hovered at the edge of the gym. What girl in the history of high school had to spend her first homecoming dance with three–yes, three!–older brothers watching every move? It was bad enough she didn’t have a date–who’d be crazy enough to ask out the baby sister of the Bridgerton boys?–but the only reason she was dancing right now was because her oldest brother’s friend, Simon, had been guilted into asking.

adapted from The Duke and I by Julia Quinn

Can’t you just see the Bridgerton siblings taking the high school world by storm? The brothers would be every teacher’s nightmare. Especially Colin. Most especially Colin. He’d have gotten very familiar with the principal’s office, I’m sure.

“No way.” Meredith stared at the glowing computer screen for a second, then clicked the message into the trash.

“What?” Ella asked. “Let me see.”

“Oh, sorry,” she said. Another quick click and she moved the message back into her inbox. As Ella read the email, Meredith paced. She’d thought Nick was gone for good, but that hope had disappeared. Along with her chance at valedictorian.

adapted from Once Upon a Wedding Night by Sophie Jordan

Imagine all the notes and missives of Regency–and yes, Sophie, Victorian–England, coming at cyber-speed. I bet dumping a girl via parchment was as much of a faux pas back then as a texting dump is today.

“Step off!” a girl snapped.

“Come on, baby. You know you want some.”

Alex didn’t want to play hero–not tonight. The end of school party raging inside had gotten too much for him to handle. Too much spiked punch and wild, summer-is-finally-here abandon. He’d escaped into the backyard and planned on escaping all the way back to his car, and then home.

But he couldn’t let a girl get groped in the garden. That was so not cool.

“I told you to let go, Reggie!”

“You’re just playing hard to get,” the clearly thought-impaired Reggie replied.

Well, the sooner he broke up this little love/hate-fest, the sooner Alex could go home. He stepped around the corner of the garage, ready to give Reggie a mouthful of fist, when the girl–a blonde babe he’d never seen before–hauled back and kneed the idiot in his fruit basket. Guess she didn’t need rescuing, after all.

adapted from When Dashing Met Danger by Shana Galen

Must admit this one was the hardest. Not because of the content–a party is a party in any era, and so is an unwanted grope–but because this was my first attempt at writing from the POV of a teenage boy. It was more fun than I expected.

I’m not sure what this proves–except that a good story is a good story, whatever the setting and/or genre–but it was a lot of fun. Anyone want to take a whack at modernizing one of your favorites? Or, if you’re afraid of dipping a toe in the YA pool, share your favorite moment and I’ll see if I can work some teen mojo.

Hugs,
TLC

May 17, 2008

Cheryl St. John on Physical Attraction

Cheryl St.John is a RITA nominee for her novella in A Western Winter Wonderland. Her next releases are the Harlequin Historical western Christmas anthology, The Magic of Christmas 10/09, and a December HH with a title still being decided. Cheryl blogs about sexy cowboys at http://petticoatsandpistols.com/ and you can visit her at From the Heart http://cherylstjohn.blogspot.com/.

Women are attracted to the men they see as the strongest and most attractive. It’s all about biological quality, or the survival of the species. It’s doin’ what comes naturally. Female birds are attracted by the most colorful or attractive of the other gender, same with animals and mammals. Many males take part in battle rituals for the female, therefore strength and endurance win out. Nature is making sure the strongest survive, that the species will be carried on by the most capable, the best hunters and providers.

It’s our instinct to be drawn to a provider and a protector. This is why those alpha heroes appeal to us as readers. Reading romances validates the universal hope that there is one special person for everyone. Stories of successful relationships reassure us that many women around the world share our dreams.

Attraction is all about chemistry. In our heads we know that in selecting a mate, a human female must consider more than the initial attraction. The ability to make wise selections is what sets us apart from the animals. We have the ability to and the luxury of compiling all the information before we make a choice. Regrettably too many women will admit that relationships founded on sex appeal alone were not the stuff futures are made of. But there has to be something there – something that draws you to this person and keeps you attracted to him through thick and thin.

So what about facial hair — real facial hair that takes some time and testosterone to cultivate?

Mustaches are often culturally associated with wisdom and virility, and it’s not difficult to understand why. There’s something about a mustache that sings of maturity…masculinity. A subject that comes up often among writers is the youthful appearance of so many celebrities, cover models and singers. While there’s no disagreeing that Matthew McConaghy and James Marsden are fine-looking fellows, there’s something about maturity that speaks to us as women. Josh Holloway. Naveen Andrews. How many times has George Clooney been People magazine’s sexiest man of the year?

Now I know there are many of you who will disagree, in fact a recent survey discovered that an alarming number of women would refuse to kiss a man with a mustache. So maybe facial hair a simply a matter of taste. A big argument against mustaches has been that they’re out of style because so many men wore them in the seventies. The seventies? Men have been shaving — or not shaving — selectively since the stone age! Shaving with stone razors was technologically possible from Neolithic times. The oldest portrait showing a shaved man with a mustache is a Scythian horseman from 300 BC.

Historically, military men have often worn moustaches; in fact the number of nations, regiments and ranks were equaled only by the number of styles and variations. Generally, the younger men and lower ranks wore the smaller and less elaborate moustaches. As a man advanced in rank, his moustache would become thicker and bushier, until he was permitted to wear a full beard.

I’ll bet you didn’t know there’s an American Mustache Association. Neither did I, but they’re gung ho on protecting their rights to bear whiskers. At The World Beard & Moustache Championships 2007 there were 6 subcategories in the moustache category:

Natural Moustache - may be styled but without aids.
Hungarian Moustache - Big and bushy, beginning from the middle of the upper lip and pulled to the side.
Dalí - narrow, long points bent or curved steeply upward; areas past the corner of the mouth must be shaved.
English - narrow, beginning at the middle of the upper lip the whiskers are very long and pulled to the side, slightly curled; the ends are pointed slightly upward; areas past the corner of the mouth usually shaved. .
Imperial - whiskers growing from both the upper lip and cheeks, curled upward
Freestyle - All moustaches that do not match other classes.

Other types of moustache include:
Fu Manchu - long, downward pointing ends, generally beyond the chin
Pancho Villa - similar to the Fu Manchu but thicker
Handlebar - bushy, with small upward pointing ends.
Horseshoe - Often confused with the Fu Manchu style, the horseshoe was possibly popularized by modern cowboys and consists of a full moustache with vertical extensions from the corners of the lips down to the jaw line and resembling an upside-down horseshoe.
Moustachio - bushy moustache, with hair sometimes growing down the sides of the mouth.
Taylor moustache - a thin row of fine dark hairs along the upper lip.
Pencil moustache - narrow, straight and thin like a pencil, closely clipped, outlining the upper lip, with a wide shaven gap between the nose and moustache. Also known as a Mouthbrow.
Walrus - bushy, hanging down over the lips, often entirely covering the mouth. Popular during the American Civil War.
The GG - bushy hair grown only over the corners of the mouth, shaved in the middle.

Now we have that scruffy five-o’clock shadow look and of course soul patches.

So, what’s your preference on facial hair – thumbs up or thumbs down?
I’d love to hear about it if you’ve seen any mustaches on book covers.

May 15, 2008

Guest Blogger Pamela Morsi

Get ready Jaunty Quills enthusiasts. Memorial Day weekend is just ten days away! I’m Pam Morsi, your guest blogger today. And I’m here to remind you that hot dogs and potato salad are in your immediate future.

It’s been a busy month for me. I’ve got a new book out and I’ve been doing some traveling around to try to promote it. I like traveling, but I really like staying at home too. So, I try not to overbook myself and spend more time than I really want on the road. With that said, yesterday nobody was more surprised than me when I decided that for this Memorial Day weekend I would head north to Oklahoma and see my old Uncle Bob.

Uncle Bob is a gentle soul, with a smile so wide it makes his eyes disappear, and a laugh that comes rumbling up from a depth of good humor. He’s the last of his generation in my family. He’s outlived his brother and sister and most of his friends. Although he still takes care of his own yard, he’s just not as strong as he used to be. He doesn’t see as well and doesn’t drive unless it’s an emergency.

On Saturday, the 24th, his high school will have a big alumni picnic. He wants to go and visit old friends. So I’m going to take him.

His class, the Seniors of 1942 faced a world so different from ours, it’s hard to get our minds around it. Many of his classmates quit school before graduation to go into the military. And others who’d signed up for the National Guard right out of Boy Scouts were simply plucked out of class. He knew that he would be going off to fight a war, because the whole world was involved in one.

Bob was lucky to come back, he says. Lucky because some of the battles he was in, D-Day, the Hurtgen Forrest, the Battle of the Bulge, are imfamous for all the guys like him that didn’t come back. I knew that Uncle Bob was in WWII, but I didn’t know a lot about it.

My father was a highly decorated Army Air Corps Medic who served in four theaters of the war. Maybe he overshadowed his younger brother. Or maybe Uncle Bob is just too modest about the contribution that he made.

My first true understanding of these men I’ve known all my life came about while I was doing research for the character named Bud, in my new book LAST DANCE AT JITTERBUG LOUNGE. Let me make it clear, Bud isn’t my Uncle Bob. The old man I created in that story is a composite of a lot of guys of that age and time. The fond memories of days gone by and the scars of events that can’t quite be outlived are both a part of all of them.

This Memorial Day, when laughing and eating and enjoying friends and family, as we rightly should, let’s all do some remembering of those who serve their country in all our conflicts. We do that by being the cheering crowd in the hometown parade and by decorating the graves of the fallen.

I’ll be hanging out with one of the heroes that’s still with us.

Maybe you can find time to do the same. I realize that everyone doesn’t have an Uncle Bob. But just a mile or so from my house is Brook Army Medical Center. Hundreds of men and women are recovering there, rehabilitating themselves for more active duty or a whole new battle completely. Volunteer opportunities abound. I’m sure your own community has its way to say thanks to Vets. We are all so blessed that these people are willing to put themselves in harm’s way. That’s something that can’t be measured into potato salad.

May 14, 2008

Kathryn Shay Guest Blogs on the Appeal of Firemen

Hello, Jaunty Quill Readers.

Since this is my first time here, I’d like to tell you a bit about myself and my work. My name is Kathryn Shay and I’ve written twenty-two books for Harlequin SuperRomance and ten for The Berkley Publishing Group. For most of my life I was a high school English teacher, and began publishing in 1995. I’ll tell you, having two full time jobs for ten years was tough. I also have a wonderful supportive husband (my college sweetheart) and two great kids, now grown, one a writer and one a teacher!

My current release is TAKING THE HEAT, part of the O’Neil series, but one reviewer just said not to worry, she hadn’t read the others (but will now!) and this book functions as a stand alone. It’s the story of widower Liam O’Neil who lost his wife three years ago to cancer and is ready to date again. He meets Sophie Tyler, rough and tumble female firefighter from New York City, and is attracted to her. But his sons are still suffering over the loss of their mother and Liam feels he can’t risk getting involved with someone in a dangerous profession. Too bad, though, because they can’t help themselves and sparks fly, emotionally, physically and on the line.

Why did I write this book? There were several reasons. First, Liam intrigued me. In the other storylines, he’s quiet, sensitive and hurting over the turn his life has taken. He also always does what’s best for his kids, too much so, his dynamic brothers think. It was fun exploring all those facets of Liam, in addition to a sense of humor I didn’t know he had, and, well, a very sexy side, which Sophie soon discovers. That was a big surprise to me and to her and makes for some humor as well as some sizzling sexual tension.

Another reason I wrote about these characters was to explore father/son relationships. The two O’Neil boys, seven year old Mikey and teenager Cleary, play a big part in the book as well as in Liam’s life. Reviewers are pointing to some very tender moments, funny occurrences and some sad things that might bring the reader to tears (I hope so!)

Last, I got to return to my favorite heroes, firefighters. As many of you know, I’ve done several firefighter stories for Harlequin and this is my fourth for Berkley. I researched the profession by spending several years, off and on, riding fire trucks and ambulances, eating in the firehouses, talking at length to the men and women who make up America’s Bravest and reading things like their training manuals on firefighting and EMS. I went to several working fires in places like a dormitory, a kitchen and a car. I rode along to calls for a stabbing, a flooded basement and a roof rescue. I also spent hours and hours at the fire academy training with the recruits, wearing their gear, handling the Jaws of Life and going through mazes blindfolded. I also had the terrifying experience of making my way in a smoke house, which is exactly what you think—a building set on fire so rookies can train. (Okay, a real firefighter was holding my hand the whole time, but still…)

What did I learn: firefighters are taciturn, until you get to know them; they’re affectionate, after they decide you’re okay; they’re funny in a black humor kind of way; they care about people, though not one of them will tell you he thinks he’s a hero. And, in my opinion, these people are a very special breed who put their lives on the line every single day. I love them for who they are and what they stand for. I think you’ll see this in the book, as well as get a look at their everyday lives and experience some heart-stopping action scenes.

I’d be glad to answer questions, give you more information or just listen to what you have to say. And I’ll pick one lucky winner from the comments for an autographed copy of TAKING THE HEAT.

Kathy Shay

May 5, 2008

The Coolest Thing by guest blogger Emily McKay

So here’s the coolest thing about being an author: meeting other authors. Pam Morsi was the first author I met in person whose books I’d read before joining RWA. I’d read (and loved!) Courting Miss Hattie back when I was in college. And then—several years later—I walked into my first RWA meeting and there she was! I was starstruck. I’m showing my age, but this was long before the internet world we live in now where you can “meet” other authors easily.

Now I meet authors all the time. And it’s always cool when you get to meet an author whose books you love. Or conversely, when you meet a writer, become her buddy, buy a book, read it and end up loving her writing.

Right now, for example, I’m reading Temptation of a Warrior, a book by the Jaunty Quills own Margo Maguire. (Okay, in all honesty, I haven’t actually met Margo or become her buddy, but I feel like I know her through Robyn and the Jaunty Quills.) I’m really enjoying it, which makes guest blogging for the Jaunty Quills just that much more fun.

With Temptation of a Warrior, Margo has created a great book, seamlessly weaving together familiar romance elements—an orphaned Regency governess—with the paranormal—a magically gifted, mysterious warrior. It’s like Jane Eyre meets the Arthurian legend. Best of all, she creates a world into which I can escape absolutely.

As I’m working on this blog, my everyday life—kids, sick mom, horrendous mountains of laundry—constantly intrudes. Bleck. But it’s nice knowing in just a few minutes, I can curl up in bed with Margo’s book and that will all go away.

Which brings me to the point of my blog … No, wait a minute. If I can get back to my book as soon as I’m done here, then what am I doing hanging around here?

So what’s the coolest thing about your job?

April 26, 2008

In it for the Long Haul

I’m so thrilled to visit with you today. I appreciate Cindy inviting me!

My first book, a Steeple Hill Love Inspired titled Her Unlikely Family, just came out in February, and two things about this journey recently occurred to me:

1. I started writing when my middle child was nursing—holding him in one arm while typing with the other hand. He’s now 13.
2. When I used to need writing time, I would bribe my three children by telling them if they would let Mommy write, then I would use money from my first advance to buy them a swing set. Hmmm. My oldest is about to graduate from high school, and my youngest is now 11. She’s almost as tall as I am, and her feet would drag the ground on an old-fashioned swing set.

Obviously, it took much longer than expected.

When I started on the road to publication, I never, ever would have imagined waiting this long. In fact, when I sat down and first started to act as a professional and wrote down goals, my number one goal was to be published in 5 years.

Okay, you can quit laughing now. I realize how silly that was, not because it can’t be done in 5 years, but because it’s not something I can control. And yes, I was very naïve, then.

This business isn’t for the faint of heart. And it isn’t for those who give up easily. Stubbornness can be an asset (and luckily, I have those stubborn genes). I’ve also been blessed with lots of writing friends in my local RWA chapter and also online writing groups. They’ve kept me going through the years. As well as my children who kept cheering me on, hoping for that swing set. And my husband, who wondered when I would ever quit spending his paycheck on books, conferences, and contests and actually make some money. 

But maybe taking this long wasn’t such a bad thing after all. For one, I believe it happened in God’s perfect timing. But, also, my children are now old enough to really enjoy the thrill with me. When that wonderful box came from Harlequin in December, after everyone cheered for me, my 13-year-old, a reader like me, grabbed one out of the box and took off to his room to devour it. He also grabbed one for his lit teacher. My oldest took one to church to show it off. And my youngest picked up my Alpha-smart to continue writing her own story. And then in February, our whole family made a trip to Walmart to see it on the shelf and to celebrate. All well worth the wait!

So what’s your dream, and how long have you been pursuing it? (Not necessarily writing related.) If you’ll leave a comment with contact info, I’ll enter you in a drawing for a copy of Her Unlikely Family!

April 11, 2008

Guest Blogger Emily McKay

Robyn here…Before I turn the blog over to Emily I have to step in here to do a special introduction because I’m so excited that Emily is here today. You see not only is she my critique partner and closest friend, but she’s one of my favorite authors. If you like Jenny Cruisie, chances are you’ll like Emily McKay. She’s got great trademark humor and authentic emotion that will really tug at your heartstrings. So if you’ve never given her a try, then do yourself a favor and run out today to get you a copy of her latest Desire - and really how sexy is that cover?

Okay, now without further ado, I give you my partner in crime, Emily McKay.

A couple of weeks ago, I had a health scare. Not the kind of health scare I normally have (which usually consists of me googling obscure diseases and then calling friends and family to see if they think I’m exhibiting signs of … oh, say typhoid or sarcoidosis. No, this was an actual health scare. There were doctors involved and everything.

Don’t worry, it ended up being nothing.

But as I sat in the doctor’s office with my hubby and kids waiting to see if my number was in fact up, here are some of the thoughts that went through my mind: “If I’m dying, I want to do less laundry. I want to eat more Thin Mints and Cherry Garcia ice cream. And I’m definitely not finishing that mediocre book I’ve been reading. Hmm…I wonder what I should read instead. Maybe I’ll reread Laura Kinsale’s Flowers from the Storm. Or the last Harry Potter book. I’ll definitely catch up on Suz Brockmann’s Trouble Shooter series.”

It’s funny, now that I think about it. I didn’t give any thought to what I’d finish writing. I guess that’s because I was a reader long before I was a writer. I can imagine never writing again, but I sure can’t imagine never reading again.

So when I found out I wasn’t dying, what did I do when I got home? I folded laundry. But I did pick up a Susan Elizabeth Phillips book I’d been saving.

But what about you? What book is so good, you’d want it to be the last book you ever read?

For any who respond today, I’ll draw a lucky winner to win an autographed copy of my latest release, Baby on the Billionaire’s Doorstep.

P.S. I’m running a contest on my website. Be sure to stop by for a chance to win a one of two $50 gift cards from Amazon.com.

April 7, 2008

TJ Bennett Blogs on The Legacy

My debut novel, The Legacy (April 2008), is a historical romance about the destructive nature of secrets. Set in 1525 Wittenberg, Germany, the novel weaves events occurring during the Early Reformation period into an intimate love story played out on the canvas of history.

I was inspired to write this outside-the-box historical romance about a printer and the runaway nun he is blackmailed into marrying when I came across a book entitled Martin Luther Had a Wife. The book described how the sixteenth-century religious reformer met and married Katherine von Bora, an ex-nun. She and eleven other nuns engineered a daring escape from a convent and fled to Luther’s doorstep in Wittenberg, asking for help in starting a new life. Luther decided to help the women, finding most of them husbands in a round of hasty matchmaking. The twelfth nun, Katherine von Bora, decided she’d rather marry Luther than anyone else, and theirs became one of the great love matches of history.

It got me thinking: What must it have been like for the other eleven women? They went from nun to wife in such a short time, most of them marrying strangers. And what if one of those women hadn’t wanted to marry the man chosen for her as a mate? The idea morphed into one of intrigue and suspense: What if an escaped nun was recaptured by her family and forced to marry a certain man for reasons she didn’t understand? And what if his reasons for marrying her were just as mysterious? Thus, The Legacy was born.

I created the three Behaim brothers to tell the story, one of whom is thrust into an arranged marriage with Sabina von Ziegler, a runaway nun with a tragic past. In the beginning, neither plans to consummate the marriage they each want to have annulled, but they find themselves challenged by a fiery passion they cannot resist. In addition, they must also solve a mystery revolving around why Sabina’s adopted father forced these two together in the first place. In the course of their discoveries, they find love and a truth that sets them free from their past.

While writing The Legacy, I also came across research describing the lives of the 16th century German mercenaries known as Landsknechts, or servants of the country. These mercenaries were hired by the Holy Roman Emperor, among others, to fight territorial battles between the major powers of the day (France, England, Germany, Spain, and the Low Countries). I was so fascinated with the difficult and spectacular lives of these men, I decided to make one of the Behaim brothers a mercenary fighting in Charles V’s Italian campaigns. Günter Behaim meets and falls for a Spanish blade artisan’s daughter who believes she is cursed. Their romantic adventure is featured in The Promise, available May 2009.

I hope readers will find the settings for these books a refreshing addition to their usual historical novels. If you’ve had a chance to read The Legacy, let me know what you think! You can stop by my website and read excerpts, send me an e-mail, check out pictures of conferences I’ve attended, and comment on my blog.

In addition, I’m giving away a free book and a $40 gift certificate to either B&N or GermanDeli.com (a German foods importer) to any one who comments on at least two of the blogs I’m touring. Comment here. For a list of the other places, check out my blog. Good luck!

March 28, 2008

Christie Craig Blogs on Playing Favorites

It’s happening to me now. I sort of knew it would. How did I know? Because dadblast it, I’m guilty of doing it myself. Guilty of asking authors . . . “So, which of your books do you like the best?”

Now, with my next book coming out in June, the question is targeted toward me and I realize how unfair it is to ask an author this question. I mean, please, it’s just like asking a mother which child she loves the best. Or which child she thinks is prettier.

To an author, our books, and characters are like our children. To show favoritism is like . . . well, it’s just so wrong on soooo many levels.

As mothers it’s our job to make all our children feel like they are our favorite—without ever really saying it. Right?

Okay, I’ll admit it, mothers aren’t blind. We do see things. For example I know that one of my children has a prettier nose than the other. But gawd forbid I ever say it aloud. I’d probably scar the child for life, they’d sign up to get a nose job, expect me to pay for it, and would be discussing this very issue to a therapist long after I’m worm bait. (Don’t forget Mother’s Day is coming up and I always rate some really nice gifts. And in case one of my own read this: Think Gucci purse this year.)

And besides the child who inherited my great uncle’s nose has gorgeous to-die-for eyes, which almost, well practically, makes the huge honker unnoticeable.

My point is that while my books, Divorced, Desperate and Delicious and Weddings Can Be Murder have some things in common—i.e. They’re both humorous, sexy, and have a bit of murder in them—they are unique in their own way as well. Sure, you can look at them and know they are related, that they were written by yours truly, but it’s not like they are identical twins are anything.

Divorced is more of a romantic suspense, where Weddings is more of a mystery. My heroine in Divorced, was so finished with men, she swore she was never going to have sex again (you can guess how that turned out.) Katie in Weddings, on the other hand, is desperately seeking the perfect man to make her life complete. And just when she thinks she’s found him, Mr. Not-So-Perfect comes along (hey, he probably even has a big nose) and she totally flushes her life plans down the John. The fact that she already accidentally flushed her engagement ring down John almost seems like a sign.

So while the books are different, they are both books of my heart. Each special to me in their own way, just the way my kids are. (Seriously, think Gucci, kids.) I’m just hoping that the readers feel the same way.

So here’s my question to all of you. Do you have a tendency to love every book from certain authors? If you are a writer, (and yep, I’m gonna do it again) do you have your favorite book, or are you like me and love all your books, big noses or not so big noses?

Below is my video for Weddings Can Be Murder, which will be out May 27th and the video for Divorced, Desperate and Delicious.

Please visit me at my websiteand my blog where I joined forces with five other Dorchester authors to explore the crazy/humorous side of life.